Tossing dog off balcony gets man 3 years in jail

[Gasman]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21492378/?GT1=10450

CHARLESTON, S.C. - An incredulous judge sentenced a man to three years in prison for tossing a 10-week-old puppy off an apartment balcony during an argument with his girlfriend.

The Yorkiepoo, a cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a poodle, was in a soft-sided container but suffered head injuries and had to be put to death.

Javon Patrick Morris, 22, apologized for throwing the puppy off the third-floor balcony last March and pleaded guilty to animal cruelty.

“You mean he threw a helpless animal off three floors because he was mad at someone?” Circuit Judge Edward Cottingham asked a prosecutor before issuing the sentence Thursday.

The judge, who has owned nine dogs, said he was obligated to issue a tough sentence.

“There is nobody in this world that can understand that,” Cottingham said.

He sentenced Morris to five years, suspended to three years in prison and two years of probation. Morris, who will be eligible for parole in 20 months, also was ordered to get anger management counseling.

“I’ve got to send a message to all dog lovers that we are going to protect that interest in our courtrooms,” Cottingham said.

All I can say is, good.
Now on to Michael Vick for the horrendous acts.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

He deserved it (Morris, not the dog.)

 

[Johnd]

Seems a bit harsh, but not to the level of "cruel and unusual." Hopefully, he'll learn his lesson.

Last week in Milwaukee, a two week old kitten was hung by the neck from a tree by two teenagers (happily it was saved and adopted this weekend in full health), and a 7 year old dog was beaten to death because the "man" wanted to put the dog "out of his misery." I hope these miscreants too receive proportional justice.

 

[gmichael]

I used to know a guy who liked to duct tape two cats tails together and then hang them over a clothes-line to fight to the death. He claimed that he was a nice guy for letting the winner live.

This world has got a few sickos in it.

 

[Adam]

Why not do the math, figure out a comparable height to drop that bastard from, and then drop him? If he lives, then put him in jail.

I have another option, too. He willfully endanged another life, but to a lesser quantity than Vick has done. Therefore, my recommendation is based on a more "humane" treatment for this punk. On a pay-per-view special (proceeds to go to animal protection agencies), a boat will go out into shark territory in the ocean. Great White sharks, that is, as they have more PPV draw, I think. For Vick, he'll be cut up a bit and thrown overboard - with all the resulting festivities. After all, he liked to benefit from blood sports - live by the sword and so on. That, of course, could take a long time to draw in the sharks, and that's bad for live TV. So, you gotta chum the waters. That's what this guy is for. It may be considered cruel to let him die by shark frenzy, so he'll be humanely drugged and fed through a wood chipper.

I've also given some thought over the years to a PPV alligator pit scenario. I prefer the sharks, but I'm flexible.

(Yeah, I'm not into the whole belief that humans are fundamentally more valuable than other life.)

 

[MDS]

Why not do the math, figure out a comparable height to drop that bastard from, and then drop him? If he lives, then put him in jail.

I like that idea. We have a prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment but the things some people do to animals as well as humans deserve to be punished in the same manner that the victim was punished.

I could not be a judge. If I were the judge presiding over the case where the guy buried a 9 year old girl alive, I'd say take him out back, make him dig a hole and jump in it, then cover it with dirt.

 

[majorloser]

Why not do the math, figure out a comparable height to drop that bastard from, and then drop him? If he lives, then put him in jail.

This was just what I was thinking.

1 foot dog vs. 6 foot man

6 x 3 stories = 18 story drop while inside a dog crate

 

[markw]

I'd cut the guy a break.

Just wrap him in a blanket, push him off a three-story balcony onto some concrete, and call it even.

 

[Alex2507]

20 months in jail isn't going to teach anybody anything about anything. Nor would dropping him off an 18 story building. Seems like there has to be a plan out there to make a person understand compassion for animals. Something like a conscience building program. I'm not suggesting that I have this magical solution but it has to be out there.

 

[Alex2507]

Just wrap him in a blanket, push him off a three-story balcony onto some concrete, and call it even.

LOL Nice.

 

[highfihoney]

Too bad a-holes like that sissy always ask for (and recieve) protective custody in prison ,as soon as they hit quarintine they start whining & crying about how their so sorry,their afraid for their life or their going to kill their self.

What would fix his lil red wagon is to be forced to do his time in general population behind the walls of Jackson Prison, he'd have to take a husband or get beat down on a daily basis,either way he'd be f-ed.

 

[majorloser]

20 months in jail isn't going to teach anybody anything about anything. Nor would dropping him off an 18 story building. Seems like there has to be a plan out there to make a person understand compassion for animals. Something like a conscience building program. I'm not suggesting that I have this magical solution but it has to be out there.

Treat him just like he treats animals. If you want to be treated well, then treat all creatures humanely.

Pardon me while I go back to eating my fried chicken.

 

[Adam]

If you want to be treated well, then treat all creatures humanely.

I totally agree.

Pardon me while I go back to eating my fried chicken.

Hee, hee. As you know, though, the act of eating other animals does not mean that they have to be treated cruely before their deaths. I'm not a vegan, yet, but the news articles that show how mass-market food animals are treated do upset me and make me think that I will eventually go that route. For example, most chickens never see the light of day. They are born and raised with many, many other chickens inside of completely enclosed buildings.

I feel sad for them, as I sit here in my cubicle farm... (I suppose that we are not much different.)

 

[10010011]

I am not saying he should have got off with a warning, but people get less time for beating their spouses or children.

 

[hmurchison]

I eat meat. Philosphically I know it's wrong. A dog or a cat shouldn't have a right to live anymore than the chicken in my Parmesan Marsala. I'm not ready to go vegetarian. I like dogs ..I like cats but I'm not sending a man to prison for 3yrs for what could be a silly act of stupidity unless he kills a human.

Animal cruelty LOL. America has industries based on cruelty to animals. I don't remember an Animal Bill of Rights.

More cats and dogs are killed by shelters nationwide than by sadistic owners or perpetrators. This so called "protection of innocent animals" is hypocrisy at its finest.

 

[MDS]

This so called "protection of innocent animals" is hypocrisy at its finest.

I disagree. First of all, it was a helpless little puppy. You know, the kind of animal that trusts the people around him and deserves to be treated kindly.

Secondly, it has been shown that there is a high degree of correlation between people that abuse helpless little animals and those that commit more heinous crimes against humans.

Regardless, it is unconscionable to abuse a little dog like that. What would drive a person to do something like that? Oh yeah, he was angry with his girlfriend. He deserves his three year sentence and the guy that fed a pupply to his boa constrictor or the other loser that tossed kittens into the fire deserve just as much time or more.

If you don't care for animals, don't have them as pets. Period. There are hundres of thousands of homeless animals that deserve a good home and people like this make my blood boil. If I came across a guy torturing cats the way mikec mentioned, I would beat him so bad he would never forget it.

Over the course of my life, I've had a dozen or more cats. I can't imagine what goes through the mind of these losers and I pray I never encounter such cruelty personally because I would snap, no doubt.

 

[mike c]

If I came across a guy torturing cats the way mikec mentioned, I would beat him so bad he would never forget it.

huh?

 

[MDS]

huh?

Sorry, it was gmichael.

 

[hmurchison]

I disagree. First of all, it was a helpless little puppy. You know, the kind of animal that trusts the people around him and deserves to be treated kindly.

Secondly, it has been shown that there is a high degree of correlation between people that abuse helpless little animals and those that commit more heinous crimes against humans.

Regardless, it is unconscionable to abuse a little dog like that. What would drive a person to do something like that? Oh yeah, he was angry with his girlfriend. He deserves his three year sentence and the guy that fed a pupply to his boa constrictor or the other loser that tossed kittens into the fire deserve just as much time or more.

If you don't care for animals, don't have them as pets. Period. There are hundres of thousands of homeless animals that deserve a good home and people like this make my blood boil. If I came across a guy torturing cats the way mikec mentioned, I would beat him so bad he would never forget it.

Over the course of my life, I've had a dozen or more cats. I can't imagine what goes through the mind of these losers and I pray I never encounter such cruelty personally because I would snap, no doubt.

There are plenty of "helpless" animals that die every year. From roadkill to shelters to whatever. I do realize there is a correlation between cruelty to animals and the potential for larger and more dangerous crimes later but from this story it doesn't sound like this guy has a history of animal abuse.

We should feel the way you do about most animals but unfortunatly if an animal doesn't have the "personality" that we like it's on our dinner plate.

I believe a suitable charge would have been 6-12 months in jail and 5yrs probation. Jails don't house people for 3 yrs that's a Prison term and I believe I'd rather have my tax money going towards housing "true" criminals that are a danger to society.

 

[mike c]

jail time (whatever the duration) isn't enough ... there are fines slapped, right? the fines can be used to help fund other animal help thingies.